Tell me how crazy I am?

[fixxervi6]

I live in the City and more than once I've carried in the city, I do not have a CHL yet.

examples

Due to the beyond crazy insane TX heat I tend to go out very late at night from time to time just for the purpose of trying to be active but also avoiding heat stroke.

I've riden my bike through parks with my light rig ups several times, one time I encounted hood rat looking thugs that actually started to harass me but as I was haulin on my 2 wheels I easliy evaded them, there were about 6 of them. You know the type that when its 96 degrees out they still have hooded sweaters on with the hoods up baggy pants and can't speak clear english (they spread out when they saw me coming I went out of my way around them and they yelled some kind of funky twisted english crap that I couldn't understand)

Another time I encountered a very large dog

So what I've been doing is strapping my .45 on my hip and covering it with my shirt, I could easly stop and talk to someone in that park and they wouldn't know I had it unless they really looked.

I'm wondering how much trouble I would get in if I got busted with it, I know I shouldn't but its like throwing dice, if I don't take it I don't have to worry about cops but I have to worry about thugs, if I do take it I'm protected from thugs but have to watch for cops, odds say a cop isn't going to rob or kill me but a thug could/would so I lean toward risking getting caught by the cop.

What the hell kind of world is it that I have to worry about both sides when I'm one of the good guys.

Thoughts, comments? am I nuts?

[Saab1911]

Dude, you live in Texas which is a shall issue state. All you have to do is
not be a criminal, pay your money and pass a test that anybody can pass.

Get your CHL.

[fixxervi6]

would CHL cover my situation? having the outline of a 1911 on my shirt in my opinion isn't exaclty a concealed situation or does that qualify.

I do plan on getting it, was wating on the wife so we could go do it together.

[DavidZ]

Since you're breaking the law by carrying it in public, here's how it stands:

You get 'busted' with it and you're in trouble.

You use it in self defense and you're still in trouble.

My advice, either get your CHL or carry pepper spray instead.

[fixxervi6]

My reasoning was if I use it in self defense I would either be in trouble for using it or dead for not having it, not a hard decision.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Now that you have announced on the internet that you break the law about carry, think that might be discovered and used against you?

Perhaps you should get the CHL now and not carry until then - so buy an AC and stay in the house.

[fixxervi6]

umm, no not worried about it, I'm sure there are DA's all over the place searching the internet for people that carry without a license just so they can hunt them down.

Not gonna stay home, if there are cops waiting in the forums with the sole purpose of hunting down people like me then we have bigger problems than Bush being president.

Or maybe that is really what happens and that is why crime is so bad, no one is looking for the guy that held up the 7/11 they are all looking for me cause I posted on the interent I carry with out CHL.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

No, you miss the point. You use your gun and the situation is ambiguous. It's a he said - he said/she said. Some TX DAs are not really sympatico to gun carry at all.

Thus, you are investigated as to your upstanding nature. You are found to carry illegally and have defended this practice sarcastically when cautioned that law breaking is dangerous.

Let the justice system then decide how to deal with you.

But if this post is for real, it's your life.

[Sparky33]

Well I see you reasoning but it will be a whole lot easier if you pay the hundred and something bucks, take the class , wait 90 days, and then be legit. The court costs will far exceed the cost of the class. I'm not saying you should stop carry now if you want, but why not get your CHL to make life easier?

[Recon7]

Welcome to The Firing Line, a virtual community dedicated to the discussion and advancement of responsible firearms ownership.

...

[hogdogs]

In your own words to be in trouble or be dead is an easy choice...
But to be in trouble one time and lose your 2A rights to a felony conviction leaves you less safe for the rest of your life...
Brent

[Glenn E. Meyer]

And the reason we are in this situation is for a bike ride?

[Smoke & Recoil]

And not only the above post, if you are convicted of a felony you lose all hope of getting a CHL. by the way what do'es CHL mean in your state? Here in Michigan, we call it CCW.

[Stevie-Ray]

And the reason we are in this situation is for a bike ride?

Now hold it, you may not like biking, but some of us love it, and don't exactly like to give up what we love for some street punks, or animals that are supposed to be locked up. Personally, I bike at night also, in order to avoid the Michigan heat & humidity, same as he does in Texas, and like him, have run into some questionable characters and dogs. Michigan, however is an OC state. My G26 is riding in a Uncle Mike's kydex OWB on my hip, my safety vest covering it. Easy to get to, and not really a worry if it rides up. In Texas, I hear you are waiting on an OC law to come about. Apply for your CHL, wait on the OC law, and do what I do, the best of both worlds. It works for me.

Here in Michigan, we call it CCW.

No, here in Michigan we call it CPL. (Concealed Pistols License) A CCW is the weapon you intend to carry.

[Protector]

Hey, to each their own...but you asked the question, so to play Devils advecate....
I wonder how the judge would look at your case? If you pulled your gun on 6 unarmed guys, would the judge see you as the bad guy since it would be your word against the word of 6 friends. Or maybe one of them pulls a knife or gun and you pull yours and shoot him, again it's their word against yours and in a court of law you are not going to look like an angel for breaking the law and carrying a weapon without a permit.

And now you would be a charged felon and the prosecutor might try to say that since you broke the law to carry a concealed deadly weapon to the park that you went looking for trouble. He might even lead the jury to wonder what other laws you break and say that you have no respect for the law, since if you are indeed able to leagally get a CHL, then why haven't you and say that if you were afraid to go to the park unarmed, then maybe you shouldn't go vs breaking the law.

I understand your need to feel secure in public places like that by being armed, but I do think the consiquences may be hard to live with later on if they take away your 2A right for defending yourself with a concealed handgun with a proper permit or license.

[Smoke & Recoil]

To Stevie-Ray. Yes you are correct, I had to get mine out and read it again .

[fixxervi6]

alright so basicly it is crazy

I do plan on getting my CHL, prolly next month, but yea I'm a supporter of open carry just for the reasons I have carried and wish the law was passed, I'm just not sure just how much of a big deal is it if I were to get caught, would I get slap on the wrist with a black mark on the record or woudl I get time etc etc.

For those of you tossin a fit for me posting on your responsible forum, those who have never carried without a permit cast the first stone - yes I know a lot have never carried without permit but a whole lot have and do and that doesn't make them scum or thugs I have a clean record like one speeding ticket or something like that, I know that doesn't mean I can get away with stuff but the main point is - IS it really THAT big of a deal, I guess it is.

I'm not promoting carry without permit, I just asked a question because the circles have talked to face to face shrug it off so I'm seaking a wider audience.

and I wouldn't pull a gun on someone for approaching me, I'm of the attitude if it comes out then someone is dead or going to be dead, I'd rather avoid the situation but sometimes the situation finds you and not the other way around.

I'm also a transplant to Texas, where I come from if you don't have a gun your looked at funny because its normal, I'm country in a city slicker jungle.

[fixxervi6]

As to why I am in the situation, I feel that hiding in my home because the world is a dangerious place is a bad reason not to go out, I'm not cruisin the ghetto looking for a gun fight I'm getting exercise in a park. If more people were to stand up, get armed and go out into the world the world would get safer.

Why would thugs like the park at night? I guess cause everyone is staying home being safe except maybe that one daring person with pepper spray.

Its our park too

[Hook686]

How old are you ?

[#20fan]

Yes you are crazy to carry with no permit because it's illegal
At that point you are really no differant than the thugs you want to defend against.
As far as posting on the internet, if you get busted for hauling around or heaven forbid actually pulling and using a weapon the DA will most likely come to your house, hassle your wife, see if you have any more weapons and confiscate your PC where some computer geek will find everything you ever looked at and ever posted on the internet including your bragging and trying to justify an illegal act on a site where everyone tells you not to.
Oh well, good luck

[evan1293]

Lets see:

You know the park is a high risk area in your town at night. In fact, you stated that you've encountered problems there before.

You know that it is illegal (felony) for you to carry without a permit.

You choose to go go out at night into an area you know to be dangerous.

You choose to willfully disobey the law and carry a firearm.

You carry in a manor that would be obvious to most police officers that you have a gun. (I don't care who you are, carrying a 1911 on the hip while riding a bike will print.)



Simple test: Would you feel safe going into this area at night without a gun? If not, then DONT go into with one. Especailly one that is carried illegally.

[ringworm]

yeah, go ask the govenment for permission...
that will help.
turn your right into a privledge.

[Syntax360]

I can tell you that I've actually been stopped while riding my bike just because I looked suspicious because I was in a "predominantly African American community" (ya, that was actually the reason they stated for stopping me :barf, and they just about lost it when I handed over my license and CHL. 4 squad cars and 6 ****** off cops spent about 45 minutes trying to figure out what I was REALLY up to and where I was hiding the brick of coke or whatever - I'm not really sure what they were thinking.

Needless to say, had I not had a CHL, I would have been up the creek w/o a paddle... Get a CHL. I also live in Texas, and they will think it's a big deal and you will go to jail.

Oh, and get rid of the 1911 for riding - [color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color]? That's what pocket pistols are for...

[fixxervi6]

Didn't realize I was bragging, thought I was actually asking a question, of which some people are actually answering.

How old am I? How old are you? If your asking because "I am riding my bicycle in a park" the bicycle is a team issued multi thousand dollar bike used in professional racing and I used to be semi-pro myself, bicycles are not just for little boys.

So what if they check my PC there is nothing on here.

1911 can go in a holster on the outside that does not interfere with movement of the legs, anything in my pockets does get in the way, I pulled my shirt over it so I don't know if that would count as concealed or not - I support open carry for this reason, I think only the very few would strap on a weapon and walk around say starbucks or try to go to the mall, but the law would greatly benefit people like me, I think requring a CHL to open carry probably is not a bad idea at all.

I've been to the park at least 30 times with no problems except one night (dog was a seperate night), its not in a bad area or known for its problems if it was I would stay out, like I said sometimes trouble finds you. I've even ran into trouble at a regular gas station, a man tried to steal my bags just as I paid for them right off the counter, instinctivly I grabbed them right back not thinking, this dude was huge and obviously under some kind of chemical influance, for a few moments I thought the situation was going to turn very ugly (I was not armed). Guess I should avoid gas stations too.

If thats all there is to it, is to stay in safe places at all times then why do any of you carry? Just stay in a safe place at all times and you don't have to worry, right? Well if that is the argument then CHL should be illegal along with all hand guns because all they do is give you an excuse to go into dangerous places? come on folks get real, people have been murdered in a McDonalds as well as parks at night thats why people carry.

So I am a thug because I have carried illegal, wow, ok whatever, guess you have a different def. of thug than I do. Guess you don't speed, run red lights, tailgate people, park illegally, you don't cheat on your taxes, cause thats all illegal too and that would also make you a thug. Thugs that carry, do so with intent to do harm. Amazing I passed a few people in the park and I didn't feel the need to stop and harrass them or rob them or anything, guess as a thug I kind of suck at it.

When I posted I epected some flames due to the nature of the question and the sensitivity of the internet, but some of these responses are, well, I just can't beleive I'm a thug now too I need to go shopping for some new cloths and get some tattoos now, then my transision to the dark side will be complete! Get real, it takes more than doing something illegal to become a thug, I speed every day too so even if I don't carry I'm a thug right? oh oops I posted that I speed on the internet...

Thanks to everyone that answered my post, I will get a CHL sooner than I had planned, and to everyone else thanks for some spice to keep the thread from going boring.

[Spenser]

Here's the relevant portion of the law to you.

§46.02 Texas Penal Code:

"(a)A person commits and offense is the person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries on or about his or her person a handgun, illegal knife, or club if the person is not: (1) on the person's own premises or premises under the person's control; or (2) inside of or directly en route to a motor vehicle that is owned by the person or under the person's control......

"(b)Except as provided by Subsection (c), an offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.

"(c)An offense under this section is a felony of the third degree if the offense is committed on any premises licensed or issued a permit by this state for the sale of alcoholic beverages."

With all due respect: You're breaking the law. Don't do it anymore. Get legal or stop. If you're caught, you'll actually help the anti-gunners out there by becoming another illegal wepaon statistic.